SAGADA ESCAPADE

Our rented van almost protested as it ran through the curvy rough road and dangerous cliff. It was our first time to travel to Sagada and what we only had in our hands was a map. I actually organized the trip and eight of my friends decided to be part of it (after so many times of convincing, LOL!). We opted for Manila-Baguio-Sagada route and were surprised of the nice scenery along the way. We nearly got lost however if not with the help of the friendly Igorots down the road. After an eight-hour tiresome journey from Baguio, we were captivated by the beauty of Sagada. It’s like a hidden paradise with so many interesting places to explore. We arrived at 12:00nn and immediately registered at the municipal hall. Some of us felt dizzy and hungry after a long ride so we took a quick lunch at St. Joseph’s Restaurant. The famous mountain tea and pork with rice indeed relieved me of a stomach pain. We then checked-in at Sagada Guest House which is just a few meters away from the plaza. The cold weather added to our excitement, so we took our bonnet, jacket and mittens then spent the whole afternoon roaming around the town proper. We visited the Sagada Weaving, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and the town plaza. The next day was in fact the “real” adventure as we began exploring the most visited spots.

Sumaging Cave
The adventure of entering Sumaging Cave was one of the most challenging things I've ever done. We almost gave up when we reached the entrance because the pathway was very steep. If you have a heart problem, you have to think twice before trying this adventure. Fortunately our friendly tour guides were there to help us in climbing up and down. We tried spelunking inside the cave and when we reached the dead end, we pushed our way to the small entrance in between of the huge lime stone. Inside, we saw a water pool so our group enjoyed taking a plunge. After getting wet, our guide took us to the other side of the cave where we saw different rock formations. The Igorots actually put a name on these lime stones, the Queen's Bath Tub, the King's Curtain, the Elephant and Pregnant Woman. Glad I had my camera! Thanks to our guide who took the burden of carrying it for me. It was really a great place and great experience!

Sagada Burial Cave

Another thing that anyone shouldn't miss in Sagada is the burial cave. I really admire the Igorots for preserving the burial cave left by their ancestors. It already surpassed numerous earthquakes but it's still there. First, we wondered why the wooden caskets are so small, and then we found out later from our tour guide that the bodies of the dead were actually in their fetal position when they were buried.

Echo Valley

A few meters away from the plaza is a place called Echo Valley where the hanging coffins can also be seen at the other side. It was called "echo valley" because if someone shouts a word, it will echo a couple of times. My friends and I tried it and we ended up shouting on top of our lungs any word that came to our mind.

Calvary Hill

Before reaching the Echo Valley, we first passed through a place called 'The Calvary Hill'. It is a local cemetery situated on a hilltop surrounded with pine trees. As we took a look, I just noticed that most of the tombs have a salamander logo painted on top. Well sad to say, I forgot to ask our guide about it.

Bomod-ok Falls

The following morning, we explored Bomod-ok Falls which is also called the ‘Big Falls.’ It took us almost one hour trekking down. We passed through rice paddies, deep cliff and narrow terrain. After awhile we saw houses built of galvanized iron. This concept made our group argue with each other along the way, so we asked our tour guide. He explained that due to cold weather, they use galvanized iron to warm the people inside the house through the help of the sun. Well, that made cleared. Then we saw the people of the community, kids playing, mothers nursing their babies and elders doing their favorite past time of the day, chewing the dark red thing called ‘nganga.’ Most of us complained about the tiring and long hike. But as soon as we reached the falls, we were all excited to swim! However, because of the strong current of water, we didn’t get near the falls. We just stayed behind to enjoy the scenery. After taking a bath, we decided to leave but it took us twice the effort in going back. Whew! Indeed, this kind of adventure is a test of strength and endurance.

In the afternoon, we left Sagada. I just felt a little bit sad that we haven’t got a chance to explore all the places. Three days is not really enough to explore the whole town. Anyway, I promised myself to come back and stay at least for a week. On our way back home, we took the Bontoc-Banaue-Manila route and had the opportunity to see the Banaue Rice Terraces at the Viewpoint Deck.

My Sagada trip as a whole was truly full of fun and adventure. Hmm, as of the moment, I’m thinking of arranging another trip, would you like to join?

Place: Sagada, Mt. Province

Travel Time: Oct. 24-26, 2003 / Oct. 31- Nov. 2, 2005

Budget: Php 3,500.00